Solar power

June 15, 2012

Brattle Group, which just completed a study of the Texas electricity market for the state's largest grid operator, says it will release a new study next week that shows the state would benefit from more solar power. The new report is funded by the Solar Energy Industries Association and the Energy Foundation, which promotes energy efficiency and renewable energy. It looks at "how much electricity prices for Texas consumers would be reduced by adding solar capacity to the Texas electricity market." It's set to be released June 19. According to a news release announcing the report, it "shows the total potential cost savings for electricity customers through reduced prices from additional electricity generation, lower fuel costs from utilizing solar instead of additional fossil fuel electricity generation, and the lower costs for operation and maintenance that come with solar energy." Brattle's earlier study for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas recommended, among other things, allowing peak power prices to rise to encourage more generation.